Thompson: No gun limits

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GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson defended the right to bear arms during campaign stops in Florida, including Little Havana's Versailles.
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On the day South Florida mourned a slain police officer, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson stopped in Miami and stuck firmly to his guns over what he says is the unnecessary call for limiting the right to bear arms.

''I do not think that abrogating Second Amendment rights is a good idea,'' the Republican said at the Versailles in Little Havana.

''The amount of violence created on the street by these kinds of weapons is very, very small,'' Thompson said. ``It's too bad. It's horrendous. Any kind -- whether it's a knife or an IED [improvised explosive device] or a gun -- innocent people, especially law enforcement officers, are vulnerable all the time; we know that. But on balance, you've got to ask what is good for society and what does the Second Amendment say.''

Though such a position after the Thursday slaying of Miami-Dade police officer Jose Somohano will make Thompson the target of gun-control advocates, it's all but guaranteed to shore up his already strong support among gun-rights supporters. Gun-show promoter Victor Bean, for instance, is granting Thompson's campaign exclusive access to his shows.

Thompson, a former actor, lobbyist and U.S. senator from Tennessee, tours a Lakeland gun show today. And he headlined a New Port Richey Reagan Day Dinner on Friday evening, where a Colt .45 was raffled off after he was given a gun-rights T-shirt featuring a musket-toting Minute Man.

Thompson made his remarks concerning guns to reporters and not supporters at Versailles. He later mentioned the need for strong Second Amendment rights during a speech in Cape Coral, on the Gulf Coast, where the crowd applauded.

In Miami, Thompson's tone was also less sharp when it came to curbing illegal immigration. He went to extra lengths to laud immigrants before he called for stronger border security, winning applause. The candidate couldn't say how much it would cost to stop illegal immigration from Mexico, which he has repeatedly singled out.

He also told reporters he favors some type of ban on allowing undocumented migrants to gain preferential treatment for U.S. residency if their child is born in the country.

Thompson, running second in many Florida and national polls behind GOP rival Rudy Giuliani, blamed Democrat Hillary Clinton for what he said was unfairly hyping a comment he made in June suggesting Cuban immigrants were carrying ''suitcase bombs.'' He had clarified the statement to note that he was referring to potential spies.

At each campaign stop, Thompson mentioned the need for more energy independence and later told reporters he would consider approving oil drilling off Florida in addition to encouraging more nuclear power, ''clean coal'' and biofuels. Throughout the day, the candidate stressed his campaign themes of ''Security, Unity, Prosperity'' by serving up detail-thin promises of less taxes, a smaller federal government, less spending and more support for the war in Iraq and against terrorists. He also rapped President Bush for not vetoing enough spending.

In comparison to his smooth campaign speeches Thursday across the state, Thompson, 65, seemed wearier Friday, fumbling for words more often in Miami and breathing heavily in the wilting humidity near the Caloosahatchee River in Cape Coral, where the crowd numbered in the hundreds and was heavily enthusiastic. He rushed out of the Reagan Day Dinner, leaving many wanting more.

The reception was warm in Little Havana, though a few groused that there wasn't enough Spanish translation. Miami Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who said Thompson inspired him to become involved this election, kept the Spanish-speaking to a minimum, on the advice of campaign consultants.

At Versailles, Thompson told the mostly Cuban-American crowd that he would maintain the embargo and other sanctions against the Fidel Castro government.

Thompson began his day with interviews on Spanish-language radio station WAQI-Radio Mambí, where he was asked if he would, as president, move to indict Raúl Castro, the head of the Cuban armed forces, for the shoot-down of two Brothers to the Rescue planes over the Florida Straits in 1996. The incident led to the deaths of four Cuban Americans.

''I'd have the attorney general look into that,'' Thompson said, though he warned he didn't want to take any action that would make it easier for other nations to indict American military leaders abroad.''

I like what he says, he is certainly 'his own man'...
Can he get elected? Would he make the 'balance' as VP for another candidate who could win?
We have a lot of time, and many things can change overnight...we'll see!

My dad is a Fred Thompson fan. I don't know personally, I haven't followed him too much. But, after reading the article you posted, he does seem like someone I could respect as a president. I guess I'm just skeptical. A part of me believes that these folks sell their souls to be nominated for our political parties. It seems they are almost always deceitful. I hate to feel that way, but I'm almost to the point of not voting. I know that ain't a good thing and always was one that would say don't complain if ya don't vote.

I don't know, he's got my interest.

When it comes to 2nd amendment rights, I am irate about the attacks on them. I'm sure everyone here in this forum feels the same or they wouldn't be here.

I work in law enforcement in TX fortunately, and I couldn't imagine, nor would I want to, an unarmed public. Crime is bad and is very violent. Thugs have no respect for any kind of morals anymore. Anything goes. Drugs plays a large role in this, but even moreso are parents who could give a crap about how their children grow up.

Call me crazy, but I believe there is good and evil in the world. And, evil is not rehabilitated regardless of what our legal system states. Failure upon failure to rehabilitate is constantly proven by our system and is constantly ignored by our officials. Bad guy goes to jail, bad guy comes out smarter and more skillful… and badder.

Will your police officer save you should bad guy come to your home? Well, I can honestly say, every police officer that I've ever worked with would do anything to be there when it happens, unfortunately, it's unlikely.

So if the bad guy comes to visit your home, what do you do? Well, thank God we have our 2nd amendment rights.

What I like about Thompson is that he appears that he really doesn't care if he wins or not unlike some, especially John Edwards who follows the polls like lemmings and will say anything that he thinks the public wants to hear. Rather than Thompson being in the race for himself as the others are he appears to have the best interest of the citizens of the USA in mind whether you agree with what he thinks or not. This is a big plus in my book.

FT's pro-gun, no doubt about that, and Guiliani's lead gets slimmer every day.

I would like to hear Fred lay down some facts and simple logic on gun control. If he falls back on "well, it's the second amendment, and that's that", I think he's going to give his opponents ammo. I know he can do it; I heard him talk about Federalism very eloquently.

He needs to make people think by asking why "the usual suspects" always come out of the woodwork after a crime, and try to disarm the people who didn't do it, point out that criminals still get guns easily in areas of the country with the strictest gun laws, and call for stronger prosecution of the criminals themselves.

If people go "huh.. I never thought about it that way", they will come to their own conclusion that upholding the 2A is a good idea.

I think Fred Thompson is genuinely the strongest 2A/pro gun candidate that's out there right now and, at this point, has my vote. We need this thread to stay 2A related to keep it out of the realm of general politics and getting the thread closed, but I will say that he seems to get the basis of his beliefs from the Constitution more than anyone I've seen on either side of the aisle and I believe he is very electable. Some of his pro gun quotes go back to when he he was out of office and not running for anything.

As far as being frail, I believe he had cancer but has beat it. It will leave you looking, and feeling, pretty weak for awhile but I think he's up for the job. I encourage everyone to look at all of the candidates and let their record speak for itself, according to what is important to you....

If anything, you must observe that Fred gave this statement the day after the shooting of the 4 officers in Miami when the press was in full anti-gun mode and we have the Mayor of Miami Manny Diaz requesting Congress to ban all "Assault Weapons."

Isn't that the truth, it's one thing to be all pro-2a at a NRA convention, or even speaking publicly at a gun show. But to go to a gun show, and speak privately with reporters like this, right after a "$200 mail order AK47" was used to kill a cop and wound 3 more... that's not just being pro-2a, that's being truthful and honest regardless of polls and 'political correctness'.